First it will air live over shortwave and the Internet Mass from the radio’s chapel at 7 p.m. Rome time, which will be midnight in Beijing. Then at midnight Rome time, it will broadcast Pope Benedict XVI celebrating Mass live from St. Peter’s Basilica and provide commentary in Chinese.

Vatican Radio’s Jesuit Father Emanuel Lim told me today that a lot of people in China tune into the Christmas broadcasts. He said churches in China get so packed with people that many decide to stay home and follow the celebrations from the Vatican.

He said a lot of non-Catholics are drawn to the midnight service “because they want to listen to the carols.”